River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-12-01

ELLSWORTH, Nov. Is, 1887.
The County Board of Supervisors Of
Pierce County. Wis, met at the Coun-
ty Office Building in said village at 2
o'clock p. NJ. aud was called to order
by former Chairman. The roll was
called, aud the following named mem
bers answered to their names:
Clifton, III. n Bascom; Diamond
Bluff, r. 5 Robson; Village Ellsworth
Ii. b. Warner; Ellsworth, S. p. Fay;
El Pa.O, john Buckley; Gilman, Ne!s
A. Nelson; HarslaHd, Andrew Jsn
son; Isabelle, W. II Ridseman; Mar
tell, II. HaIvorson: Village Maiden
Rock. l. ID. Geff; Maiden Rock, A.
g. Julian; Oak Grove, VIM. Teare;
City of Prsscott-1st ward, o. S.
Hutchinson; ID ward, ID. j. Dill; Sd
ward, -; City of River Falls, ID
ward, Z. II. Daniels; 81 ward. Nj g
Pierce: 4th ward. G Il Morse; River
Falls, Freeman IL Lord; Rock Elm.
L. II. Condi;; Spring Lake. George
Lynch; Salem, VIM Foley; Trenton,
VIM Drake; Trimbelle. NJ. Nugent;
Union W. II. Taylor A full Board
present except Sup. Bailey.
On motion the Board proceeded to
the election Of a Chairman. Having
received a majority of the votes east.
H. b Warner was declared duly
elected Chairman os this County
Board.
Sup Morse moved that the party of
gentlemen from Red Wing, MINI. in
the interest of the Red Wing Ferry,
be heard now if they 80 desire; carried.
Mr.. Howe, the Secretary of the
Red Wing aud Trenton Transit Co.,
then appsared before the Beard and
stated that the said Company had fled
its petition with the County Clerk
and asked that said petition be new
taken up and acted upon so that the
gentlemen now present here for that
purpose could give any information
this Board might require frem them y
regard to the granting Of a ferry IL
conse for said ferry On motion the
petition was read to the Board.
At meeting of the boaid of direct
ors of the Red Wing & Trenton Tran
sit Co.. held at Red Wing, Minnesota,
March, Is. 1887. the following resolU-
tiOn was on motion adopted:
WHEREAS, 1t appears that the char
ter heretofore held by the Red Wing
4 Trenton Transit Co. from the state
of Wisconsin for running a ferry
across the Mississippi River between
the city of Red Wing, Minnesota. and
a point opposite said city, in Pierce
county, Wisconsin, has sometime since
expired and is now of no effect. And
that the board of directors of said tran
sit company, have unintentionally and
any feeling of disregard of the
laws or authorities of Pierce county
or of the state of Wisconsin, failed to
make application to the County Board
of Supervisors of Pierce county or TO
the state legislat ire of Wisconsin for
a renewal of said charter, or license
prior to the present session of said leg.
lslature, and that the said Transit Co,
have within the past year improved
upOn the manner of operating the fer
ries and have materially reduced the
rates of toll and the travelling public
have in no way been disconnected or
injured. on account of said failure of
said company. TO make such applica-
ton for a renewal of said charter; and
WHEREAS. The said County Board of
OF Pierce county WiscOn-
sin, at its annual session, in Novem-
Der, 1886, passed resolution direct
ing the district attorney OF said coun-
ty, to at once prosecute said company
for keeping and maintaining for profit
said ferry, and to take such other
measures in the premises us may be
necessary to protect the rights of the
citizens of Pierce county and main
tain the laws of the state. And said
board of supervisors having adjourned
before the said Transit Co., were adj
viSed of the passage of said resolution
10y said Board of Supervisors. And
the said Transit Co.. having no knowl-
edge of any contemplated meeting of
said Board of Supervisors previous to
the opening of the feTrying season of
1887, caused to be introduced in the
assembly of the Wisconsin State Leg
islatufe, at its present session, a bill
known as Assembly bill No. 27la,
granting to the said Transit Co. new
charter fOr the purpose of operating
and maintaining said ferry, which bill
was substantially the same as the orig
inal charter granted by said State of
fcfs 10 INN ff.
rates named therein had been reduced
to about one half the rates named in
said original charter. And said as
sembly bill No. 27la was indefinitely
by said assembly ON account
of a protest against the rates of toll
named therein. and naming in lieu
thereof certain other rates of toll as
the maximum rates to be charged
which last named rates were. in some
instances, less than the rates charged
by the said Transit Co.. during the
season of 1886. and in no instance
greater. said protest being numerous
~ signed by citizens of Pierce county,;
and
WHEREAS. The total cost of maintain.
ing and operating said ferries and the
Island road and bridges connected
herewith was, during the season of
1856 largely in excess of the total re-
cepts of said Transit Co.. nOtwith-
standing the economical management
of the business of the said Transit Co.
by its board of directors. no member
or officer of which has ever received
or demanded any pay or compensa-
ton. in any manner, for their services
as such directors or officers; and
WHEREAS, 1t is of mutual interest to
the citizens of GOodhue and Pierce
counties to have the said ferry in op.
GRAFTON as soon as the ice on the river
shall become unsafe for travel and
that the said Transit Co. are ready and
willing To operate said ferry at the
earliest practicable time provided the
necessary privilege to do so can be OBJ
tanned of the Wisconsin authorities.
or if reasonable assurance is given to
said Transit Co. that it will not be
prosecuted on account of operating
said ferry; and
WHEREAS. There having been, dur
ing the past season, no extraordinary
repairs or expense, it is reasonable to
assume that the yearly expense OF
maintaining the road and bridges and
boom in the future will be fully equal
if not exceed. the expense of the past
year, in view of the fact that one new
boat will soon be needed, and the
bridges must soon he replaced with
new. and the entire island road must,